Case Study – Pringles

Methodology: Hall Tests

Since 2005 Warwick Equest has been helping P&G extend and develop their famous Pringles snack ranges through extensive consumer testing of new flavours, production methods and ingredients.

New Pringles variants are exposed to the consumer in a series of hall tests where they are evaluated for over 30 different variables such as taste, colour, shape, texture, saltiness, crunchiness, aftertaste and greasiness.

By comparative testing of the different variants P&G are able to identify and refine the most appealing new products prior to production and launch.

Typically the recruitment criteria for Pringles hall tests are very wide – generally males or females aged between 18 -55 who are regular consumers of chips, crisps and snacks. As such it is common for each day’s hall testing to capture the opinions of over 100 respondents at a time.
 

Case Study – Thule

Methodology: Online Survey

When Boston Consulting Group were asked by their client Thule to develop brand stretch options we helped them assess the consumer reaction to their new concepts.

Online research with over 1,700 car owners was conducted in the UK, France, Germany and US. The fieldwork was completed within 14 days and the research not only helped BCG underpin their proposals, but provided valuable knowledge about the consumers’ awareness of Thule and competitor brands.

Case Study – RoDO

Methodology: Postal Survey

RoDO, a leading manufacturer of equipment, supplies and sundries for the professional decorator wanted to understand their customers’ attitudes to different brands, equipment design, product usage and the influence of price on their choice of equipment.

Because of the specialised nature of the market we first identified and built a database of professional decorators and tradesmen from specialist directory listings and trade associations. From this we were able to mail out a 2,000 strong postal survey, using a prize draw as an incentive to participation.

From the research results RoDO were able to identify design, packaging and branding issues that influence purchase decisions, gain an understanding of the positioning of their brands against those of competitors, and establish a trade research panel for future projects.

What is CATI or telephone interviewing?

Telephone interviewing is widely used both for business and consumer surveys. It is often referred to as CATI, or “Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing”. It allows research to be conducted nationally at a much reduced cost. This type of research can be particularly effective where clients have an existing contact database of customers or enquirers.

What’s involved in a postal survey?

Postal surveys usually involve mailing self-completion questionnaires to a targeted group of people, such as a client’s customers or people living in a certain area. The main advantages of postal surveys are that large numbers of questionnaires can be sent out at relatively low cost. The questionnaires can include visual prompts and trial products, and can be useful for eliciting more in depth and considered responses.

What is CAPI Interviewing?

CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) involves the use of a questionnaire which is running on a computer. Results are entered directly into the device, rather than filling in a paper questionnaire. The hardware can range from special handheld devices to a standard laptop. The major benefits are that complex routing and quotas can be in-built automatically into the questionnaire to make sure only relevant questions are asked and avoiding interviewer error. It also means that data entry of results is automatic and can therefore improve project turnaround times.

What is online or web based interviewing?

Online research allows respondents to be recruited via e-mail and directed to a web site where they can self complete a questionnaire and submit their responses. Using an opt-in panel of respondents provides access to people who have chosen to participate in research and who can generally be pre-selected on a wide range of different criteria (age, SEG, readership habits, lifestyles and pastimes etc.)